Split Decision: The Snowboard Life cover conundrum

August 15, 2000

We sat around weighing our cover options for this issue like it was life and death: a non-action shot of Jeremy Jones or a pipe/contest shot of Ross Powers?

The Jeremy cover had some things going for it. It was, for one thing, different¿which is good. And when we mocked it up it got a solid reaction from our in-house newsstand experts (we’re helpless without the nod from higher ups, you know).

The shot of Ross, on the other hand, fits the mold of a cover shot¿aside from being at a contest. The action is near the top of the page, he’s a well-known rider, it’s a hefty air, etc.

In the end, we figured we’d make you scramble a bit. We ran ’em both¿Jeremy in the heli from the Rockies west, and Ross at Vermont’s U.S. Open east of the Mississippi.

So, depending on where you live, you’ll have to get on the horn to a pal somewhere and have them pick you up the “other” Snowboard Life this month. Of course you can also ring us up for a back issue to make your collection complete.

And, for those of you who read this far and don’t really care what’s on the cover (because you know the point of a cover is to sell magazines on the newsstand, and you’re a subscriber), a special bit of insight. Take a second glance at the crowd on the Ross cover, Jeremy wouldn’t miss a U.S. Open. And, for you eagle eyes who thought Ross only rules the pipe, I’ll have you know he’d love to be lookin’ through Jeremy’s eyes at those lofty Alaskan peaks. Just more of those little extras care of the Life (okay, so it was late and we were gettin’ a little loopy).